The best free PC games offer players plenty of content without charging anything. Plus, there are some ethical microtransactions for the super-fans.
Remember buying games on discs, bringing them home, installing them, and then realizing that you don’t really like the game? Fortunately, that’s all in the past. Nowadays, you can buy games and download them with just a few clicks. You can also play free PC games.
Although the free-to-play model has a bad reputation, there are plenty of games that offer dozens (if not hundreds) of hours of gameplay without charging a dime. There are a few options on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, but in this guide we’ll focus on free PC games.
Apex Legends
There are a ton of free PC Battle Royale games out there, but Apex Legends is arguably the best. The latest season of Apex features a summer vacation theme and a new sunny map. The progression of a match is not so different from other Battle Royale games: fall from the sky, collect equipment and try to survive as long as possible.
The eight characters in Apex Legends have their own powers. Indeed, some can make defensive moves, others can deform portals, etc. Moreover, death is not permanent. In fact, you can revive the characters in this game.
In short, Apex Legends is a polished experience with excellent shooting, a great map and a fun roster of characters.
Path of Exile
Heavily inspired by the Diablo series, Path of Exile is a great free-to-play PC game with tons of fun content. Designed by Grinding Gear Games, Path of Exile was released in 2013. At that time, it already received many positive reviews. From then on, it only got better by adding new expansions, items, skills and content.
Players choose from one of seven classes: wizard, shadow, ranger, marauder, duelist, templar, and heir. In fact, each character has his or her own set of moves, strengths and weaknesses.
Sure, Path of Exile is not the best action-RPG out there, but it deserves its place in this comparison, as it is engaging and rewarding in the long run. Plus, the microtransactions are not intrusive, making it a good option for fans of Diablo 2 and its ilk.
Fortnite: Battle Royale
Like PUBG, the goal of Fortnite: Battle Royale is to defeat all other players. But Fortnite’s cartoonish design gives you a more militaristic (and slightly more realistic) alternative to the shooter.
The aspect that sets Fortnite apart from PUBG is construction. In fact, this game gives you the ability to build walls, structures, and objects to give you an edge in a fight or to ambush. Either way, the addition of creating your own battlefield and fortifications can dramatically change the gameplay experience.
Currently, Fortnite has become the biggest game in the world. It has hundreds of millions of registered accounts with a peak of over 15 million concurrent players. It’s so big that it forced Sony to consider cross-play between PlayStation and other platforms. It has hosted virtual concerts, Star Wars characters, Marvel superheroes attended by millions.
Runescape
Runescape is one of the most iconic free-to-play PC games ever, and 20 years after its launch, it’s still going strong. Developer Jagex has continued to update the game over the past 20 years, providing literally thousands of hours of gameplay. In fact, it is a fantasy game that includes many types of weapons and a long list of skills to master. Old School Runescape is also available. It is based on the version released in 2007 (with the same graphics, quests, bosses, etc.).
The Lord of the Rings Online
The Lord of the Rings Online is also one of the free PC games to consider right now. However, the game has a VIP program that gives you access to more locations, monthly points that you can use in the store and access to all quests, skirmishes, monster classes. The Lord of the Rings Online has just celebrated its 14th anniversary and continues to receive content updates.
In this game, you create your own character. That said, you can choose from four races, nine classes, 10 professions, and over 1,000 skills and traits. As you play, you can participate in solo or cooperative skirmishes and explorations to gather materials to craft new equipment. You can even play as a servant in Sauron’s army.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Previously, you had to buy a subscription to play Star Wars: The Old Republic. But now, this PC game has become free. In fact, production-wise, it’s among the most impressive games on this list. With excellent writing, fully voiced dialogue, many Star Wars lore and different storylines, The Old Republic offers a deep experience that begs to be played and revisited from multiple perspectives.
In this context, this free PC game allows you to create your own Star Wars character, the Jedi knight, a soldier or a smuggler, among others. It gives you the opportunity to experience an original story that takes place 4,000 years before the original Star Wars trilogy. You can customize your character along the way, including choosing between a path on the light or dark side. For Star Wars fans, this version offers one of the most narratively ambitious stories ever.
League of Legends
League of Legends was released in 2009, and it has only gotten better over the years. In fact, this PC game is free with a limited number of heroes, called Champions. In this game, two teams of five players each lead small armies. They compete to enter the enemy base first. It’s kind of like a real-time strategy game, except that you control a single unit, rather than an entire army.
The great thing about League of Legends is that it offers over 140 champions, each with their own skills. In this context, some champions must be purchased, but there are always free characters. This means you never have to spend a dime for a varied game experience.
Phantasy Star Online 2
This free PC game has been around since 2012. You play as an agent of ARKs, a group of fighters who explore dangerous planets to search for the Falspawn. You can join a group suited to your level to take on small missions with a limited number of other players. During quests, you will earn random loot. These unlock new combat skills to use with your weapon.
Spellbreak
With the free PC game Spellbreak, no more guns, vehicles and building mechanisms you’ve become accustomed to. Instead, you have gauntlets that allow you to cast colorful spells and quickly navigate the map.
Not only is it free, but the microtransactions are incredibly user-friendly, with only certain cosmetics locked behind a paywall.
Genshin Impact
The free PC game Genshin Impact looks a lot like Breath of the Wild (in the stamina-based escalation genre). However, in almost every respect, it stands out with a diverse roster of 23 characters and hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Warframe
Combining futuristic sci-fi aesthetics with fluid martial arts inspired combat, Warframe is one of the most impressive action games available right now. This free-to-play PC game was launched in 2013. It currently has over 26 million players.
In fact, Warframe offers a large number of customization options, which allow you to modify your weapons. This way, you can better adapt your equipment to your specific play style. You even have access to your own personal spaceship, which you can use as a base when you’re not on a mission.
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm has not reached the same level of notoriety as League of Legends or Dota 2. However, it is a satisfying and deep experience in its own right. Plus, it’s easy to pick up, making it one of the best free PC games out there. With 15 maps and a multitude of game modes, including ranked and unranked battles, it keeps you playing for the long haul.